We all know that we shouldn’t be using our phone when behind the wheel.  But many people believing that they are “good drivers” can easily fall into the trap of “just quickly checking a txt” or “taking a short call”.  One person who knows all too well the dangers of mobile phones in vehicles is Alex Jannink of Acucensus, the company behind Australia’s mobile phone cameras.  He joins Rusty and Lisa to hear the story of Tom who while texting and driving, crashed into the back of a car in front of hundreds of people from his school.

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Will driving your own car for work void your insurance?  Can you refuse to drive something bigger than you are used to?  We answer these questions and many more in this episode of Keep Your Wheels On.  Driver Trainer Murray shares how every year he sees incidents and sometimes even fatalities with young tradespeople driving vehicles beyond their means, and Graeme Moat of Tafe NSW joins Rusty and Lisa to unpack what to consider when the vehicle becomes the mobile office.

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As a Clinical Nurse Consultant in the emergency department, Megan is no stranger to the trauma that she encounters daily.  In this episode, she opens up about the lasting impact that trauma cases can have on a range of people that reaches well beyond direct friends and family of the victim.  From first responders and medical staff to those tasked with cleaning up after surgeries.  Glenn Weir, Assistant Commissioner of the Road Policing Command with Victoria Police joins Rusty and Lisa again too, this time to share stories from throughout his career.

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Kendall would describe herself an unlucky driver.  With a crash record nearly as long as the list of cars she’s been through, she recalls one foggy night that added yet another to her collection of written off cars.  Rusty and Lisa talk the risks of poor visibility with Rally Driver Harry Bates who firmly believes that cutting-edge vision technology has been critical to his success in racing.

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In the world of truck driving road trauma is an all to prevalent theme, and while often the car driver is at fault, Rod has seen first-hand the impact that these incidents can have on truck drivers too.  He recounts memories of friends who have lost their lives deciding not to hit a car, and some of the many incidents that he sees daily.  Matt Wood of Volvo Group Australia also joins Rusty and Lisa to recall his time behind the wheel, and why safety for truck and car drivers alike is of utmost importance.

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After multiple phone calls to his wife went straight to voicemail, Kym went to the police station with a knot in his stomach where he was told that his wife, two daughters, and young family friend had all been killed in a head on collision.  In this episode Kym recounts this painful memory, and Russell White from Driver Safety Australia joins Rusty and Lisa to discuss how minor lapses in concentration or control can and often do have devastating consequences.

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Fast food.  Fast cars.  And a reaction speed that wasn’t fast enough.  Scott shares how a simple drive to Maccas with mates resulted in two cars being written off when one hit the other from behind.  And James Stewart, Director at Driving Solutions joins Rusty and Lisa to deep dive on stopping distances, and the part that peer pressure and ‘keeping up with your mates’ can play in road crashes.

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The pedals are meant to give drivers ultimate control.  But when the accelerator in the car David was a passenger in jammed flat to the floor, control was the last thing that they had!  In this episode, he shares how a jammed pedal led to a terrifying crash into another vehicle and then a concrete wall, and Rusty and Lisa are also joined by Racing Driver David Reynolds, who explains how a slip on the pedals or an obstacle in the footwell can result in huge problems.

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Before going to jail Zac crashed every car that he had ever owned, but it was a crash with 5 passengers while he was blind drunk and heading to out to buy more alcohol that finally led to him turning his life around.  In an emotional episode, Rusty and Lisa are joined by Glenn Weir, Assistant Commissioner of the Road Policing Command with Victoria Police who shares the frightening fact that Zac’s story of impaired driving is one that is all too common. 

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In high school Eli was a promising sportsman with a flair for acting.  Today he reminisces how much he misses sport and being able to exert himself after a car crash left him with an acquired brain injury.  Speaker, writer, and podcaster Scott B Harris joins Rusty and Lisa on this episode having also suffered an acquired brain injury in a motocross crash, to unpack why making good decisions is so important, how delicate the brain is, and how split second decisions can have lifelong ramifications.

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